CA Lane Splitters

[cabri]

you no longer have the blessings/guidance of the state

the California Department of Motor Vehicles has joined the California Highway Patrol in withdrawing safety guidelines for motorcycle lane-splitting.

The agency confirmed late Tuesday that it had removed its online guidelines, and would also be removing guidelines from its printed literature.

"The DMV will not be including lane splitting language in the next revisions of handbooks in the next revision of 2015," said DMV information officer Jaime Garza, who added the DMV had dropped the online language as of July 7.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

More than three-quarters of drivers interviewed for a 2012 study conducted the California Office for Traffic Safety said they thought lane-splitting was unsafe. Almost half thought it was illegal. Two-thirds said they disapproved, and 7% admitted they had swerved to block a motorcycle trying to lane-split.

Wow some people are assholes. I used to do the 100 mile round trip commute and I would always move to give lane splitters more room. I've seen at least 10 people die or seriously injured because half the people in cars don't look over their shoulder.

 

[Kelvrick]

Wow some people are assholes. I used to do the 100 mile round trip commute and I would always move to give lane splitters more room. I've seen at least 10 people die or seriously injured because half the people in cars don't look over their shoulder.

Most people are idiots. Most probably shouldn't be on the road.

 

[JimKiler]

Wow some people are assholes. I used to do the 100 mile round trip commute and I would always move to give lane splitters more room. I've seen at least 10 people die or seriously injured because half the people in cars don't look over their shoulder.

being illegal here in MN i never look over my shoulder when i have a green light and I am sure that is true of lots of tourists who visit California.

 

[JulesMaximus]

you no longer have the blessings/guidance of the state

That isn't why they took down the guidelines nor does this mean that the state has changed its stance on lane splitting. Maybe you should actually read the article before commenting on it.

But sometime earlier this year, the CHP came under fire from a Sacramento-based individual who contended the police agency had exceeded its authority by recommending lane splitting.

The Office of Administrative Law agreed, and told the CHP to take down the guidelines.

 

[Ferzerp]

being illegal here in MN i never look over my shoulder when i have a green light and I am sure that is true of lots of tourists who visit California.

It is illegal in every state except CA. In CA it is not specifically addressed. I'm sure eventually they will catch up with the rest of the country and outlaw it for safety reasons.

 

[BudAshes]

It is illegal in every state except CA. In CA it is not specifically addressed. I'm sure eventually they will catch up with the rest of the country and outlaw it for safety reasons.

I think we just realize that there are a lot of people in california. If we don't let anyone die we are going to fill up even faster.

 

[Greenman]

It is illegal in every state except CA. In CA it is not specifically addressed. I'm sure eventually they will catch up with the rest of the country and outlaw it for safety reasons.

That's an interesting thought, but it's demonstrably safer than sitting in traffic.

 

[Midwayman]

It is illegal in every state except CA. In CA it is not specifically addressed. I'm sure eventually they will catch up with the rest of the country and outlaw it because it annoys motorists with deep pockets.

FIFY.

 

[cabri]

That isn't why they took down the guidelines nor does this mean that the state has changed its stance on lane splitting. Maybe you should actually read the article before commenting on it.

I read the article in order to grab the first paragraph to quote.

Which is why I used the word GUIDANCE - guidelines are being removed - lack of guiding.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

It is illegal in every state except CA. In CA it is not specifically addressed. I'm sure eventually they will catch up with the rest of the country and outlaw it for safety reasons.

Will never be outlawed here - traffic is so damn bad that is put those motorcyclists in cars it would increase the gridlock.

Much like helmet laws - at least we have them here in CA unlike other states...........

 

[BUTCH1]

The choice should be up to the rider but IFWM I don't trust people enough not to do something dumb like block you at the last second because their are all jelly your getting through traffic and they are stuck there.

 

[Kadarin]

When I see them, I move out of their way.

 

[Greenman]

The choice should be up to the rider but IFWM I don't trust people enough not to do something dumb like block you at the last second because their are all jelly your getting through traffic and they are stuck there.

That happens. Some fucker on 101 did it to me. A real biker would have dragged his ass out of the car and beat him senseless on the spot, but I'm not that hard core.

 

[BUTCH1]

That happens. Some fucker on 101 did it to me. A real biker would have dragged his ass out of the car and beat him senseless on the spot, but I'm not that hard core.

Better off you didn't even though IMO he had it coming because he's just gonna lie to the cops when they get there and say "he didn't see you", then he gets to sue the shit out of your ass for pain and suffering and you could be charged for assault.

 

[halik]

The only time i would consider doing this if all the other traffic was stopped. People splitting lanes while the other traffic is moving = organ donors

 

[marvdmartian]

The only time i would consider doing this if all the other traffic was stopped. People splitting lanes while the other traffic is moving = organ donors

If I remember correctly, they're only supposed to do it when traffic is bumper to bumper, moving <10mph.

Had a Navy buddy who did this, back when we were stationed at (the now closed) NAS Alameda (across the bay from San Francisco). He lived in Suisun City, and commuted on a street legal dirt bike. Wore the dirt bike racer's boots and pants, and a heavy leather jacket, with leather gloves, and a full face helmet.

Told me that, from time to time, he'd get some idiot who would try to cut him off, by acting like they were trying to change lanes. Said you could tell them a mile away, because they'd be sitting in their cars, bored and pissed off at the slow moving traffic, then spot him in their side mirror.....and THEN move over, as he got closer. Whenever possible, he'd try to move over to another line, to pass them. When that wasn't possible, he'd slow down, and still slide by them. Told me that once, a guy tried swerving over as he was passing the guy's driver's door.....and he rewarded the guy with a steel toes boot kick in his door, which he was sure left a nice dent.

 

[Greenman]

The only time i would consider doing this if all the other traffic was stopped. People splitting lanes while the other traffic is moving = organ donors

That's really not the case at all. Bikers rarely get hurt splitting lanes. It's far more common for them to get rear ended sitting in traffic. It's stressful, you really have to be on the ball when your doing it, but it's not nearly as dangerous as many of you seem to think. If it was all that risky, the CHP wouldn't allow their officers to do it, and they split lanes all the time.

 

[master_shake_]

wait.

so anything and everything is known to the state of california to cause cancer and has to have a warning label on it but retards on motorcycles can cut thorugh traffic legally?

wow.

 

[Fenixgoon]

lanesplitting is not prohibited, therefore it is legal.

the CHP provided *guidance*, which is not the same as law. it's a shame, really, since i think the CHP list was actually pretty spot-on with how lanesplitting should be done safely/responsibly.

 

[Alienwho]

It is illegal in every state except CA. In CA it is not specifically addressed. I'm sure eventually they will catch up with the rest of the country and outlaw it for safety reasons.

Yeah and the US is one of the few countries where lane splitting is illegal, so I guess every other country need to catch up too?

I wish lane splitting would be made legal. Even something partial like splitting lanes at stoplights where all cars are stopped and not necessarily through moving traffic would be wonderful.

 

[Brian Stirling]

That's really not the case at all. Bikers rarely get hurt splitting lanes. It's far more common for them to get rear ended sitting in traffic. It's stressful, you really have to be on the ball when your doing it, but it's not nearly as dangerous as many of you seem to think. If it was all that risky, the CHP wouldn't allow their officers to do it, and they split lanes all the time.

That's the key, THEY do it all the time and don't want to be denied the right to do it.

Brian

 

[Railgun]

If I remember correctly, they're only supposed to do it when traffic is bumper to bumper, moving <10mph.

I thought it was 25...but that was years ago...

I love lane splitting...if it's accepted as the norm (as it is here) there's no danger. Obviously, if you're just flying through with, say, a 50mph speed differential, you're going to get splattered sooner than later.

Cars here move out of the way all the time. It's people walking across the street that you need to be wary of since they never look in the direction of oncoming traffic.

 

[halik]

That's really not the case at all. Bikers rarely get hurt splitting lanes. It's far more common for them to get rear ended sitting in traffic. It's stressful, you really have to be on the ball when your doing it, but it's not nearly as dangerous as many of you seem to think. If it was all that risky, the CHP wouldn't allow their officers to do it, and they split lanes all the time.

Stats to back that up? Getting rear ended is nowhere near the chief mode of motorcycle accidents (#1 going thru intersection and someone pulling a left into your lane, #2 pulling out into your path)

 

[jdoggg12]

Honestly, when it comes to lane splitting, if you've got no experience on a bike, you really don't have any idea what you're talking about in terms of the pros and cons. It's a situation you can't really truly understand until you're in it. I'm sure many will balk at this point of view, but I don't really care. You're safe in your cage and i'm outside, unprotected from the elements with multi-ton steel projectiles piloted by large proportion of drivers with substandard skills and/or anger management issues.

A good resource is http://lanesplittingislegal.com/

Lane Sharing: A Global Solution for Motorcycle Safety (PDF) - paper by Steve Guderian examining the safety benefits of lane splitting. Includes a comparison of motorcycle rear end accidents in California versus comparable states, finding that “Motorcycle rear-end impact deaths as a percentage of all motorcycle deaths is quite a bit higher than the all-vehicle rear-end impact percentage in Florida (12.7% vs. 8.5%), Texas (10.8% vs. 7.5%), and the US (9.0% vs. 6.2%). In California, the percentages(8.5% vs. 7.3%) are closer, and they are lower than the comparison states.“

Motorcycle Industry Council Position on Lane Splitting (PDF) – Official position statement in support of lane splitting issued by the MIC in 2011. “In full consideration of the risks and benefits of lane splitting, the Motorcycle Industry Council supports state laws that allow lane splitting under reasonable restrictions.” Includes lane splitting guidelines that are similar to the CHP guidelines, although less specific and a bit more lenient.

Copy/past is broken for the PDF but you get the idea:

CONCLUSIONS
It is clear that lane-splitting contributes little to the population of motorcycle accidents – les than 1% both in Los Angeles in 1976-7 and a quarter century later and a continent away in Europe in 19 9- 200. Eliminating a ban on lane spliting is unlikely lead to an increase in motorcycle acidents.

If the intent of baning motorcycle lane spliting is to protect motorcyclists, the data presented here fail to suport hat justification. In fact, these data sugest hat lane spliting is safer than maintaining a normal lane positon. There are thre reasons lane spliting may be safer than riding in a normal lane positon:

1. Maintaining a normalane positon does nothing to eliminate suden path encroachment
by cars. Motorcyclists are vulnerable to incautious car drivers making sud en, unsignaled lane changes regardles of the motorcycle positon in the lane.
2. In heavy trafic conditons where lane spliting usual y ocurs, the motorcyclist has the
option to decide which risks to take and it is often clear which trafic conditons are safe
(cars in adjacent lanes side-by-side) or isky (a gap in an adjacent lane big enough for a
car to move into.)
3. Motorcycles in a normal ane positon are far more likely than those spliting lanes to be
involved in rear-end colisions, usual y because the motorcycle is folowing to closely
behind a car ahead.

These are all available here http://lanesplittingislegal.com/resources-links

I lane split if freeway traffic goes below 40. I have had to avoid getting rear ended on my bikes because drivers don't pay attention. At least if i'm going to crash due to lane splitting, I am in a heightened state of awareness and can correct accordingly, vs being caught off guard by a vehicle driven by a distracted driver. I've been a distracted driver so I don't even fault them for minor oversights (adjusting radio, conversing with passengers, etc). But knowing my own habbits, lane splitting is a form of riding that follows the "every driver is trying to kill me" mentality that riders need.